NFL Wildcard Sunday open thread

posted at 11:01 am on January 6, 2013 by Ed Morrissey

Home field ruled yesterday, as the Houston Texans returned to their winning ways yesterday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Houston dominated but let the Bengals stay in the game, eventually outlasting them 19-13. The Minnesota Vikings didn’t do any better, only scoring a TD in trash time as the Packers cruised to the next round, 24-10. Neither game was all that exciting, although the last-minute start for Minnesota’s Joe Webb at QB produced one exciting drive at the beginning of the game.

Will home field do the trick today? I went 1-1 in yesterday’s picks, and I’m picking a road team today too …

Colts at Ravens (1 pm ET, CBS) - Oh, I know how I’d like to see this game go. I’d love to see Andrew Luck lead Indianapolis to an upset victory over Pittsburgh rival Baltimore and chart a Cinderella course through the playoffs. And when one looks at Baltimore’s track record, a few things pop out — like the fact that the Ravens have lost four of their last five games, and the last time they beat a playoff team this season was Week 3 against the Patriots. On the other hand, Baltimore has listed Ray Lewis as probable for today, and after announcing his retirement, this will be his last home game. Is that enough to stop Baltimore’s slide? At home, I have to grudgingly say yes. Ravens 24-17 over the Colts, but I’ll be rooting for the other way around.

Seahawks at Redskins (4:30 pm, FOX) - This may be the game of the weekend. It pits two young QBs with big futures against each other on a big stage. RGIII has gotten most of the attention this year, but Russell Wilson has led his team to a better record and has six more TD passes than Griffin. The Seahawks have won five games in a row, starting with a tough OT win in Chicago. Still, Seattle isn’t a good road team, only going 3-5 away from home, and Washington has won seven games in a row to finish out the season. This one’s coming down to the final possession. I’m going to go for the upset here and pick Seattle by a field goal, 31-28, maybe in OT.

Blowback

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I grew up outside dc so I am a lifelong skins fan. The military sent me to WA state ten years ago and I stayed and married a lifelong Seahawks fan. I am a Seahawks season ticket holder too. People here ask me if I’m torn on who to root for. Of course not! Wife and I are watching the game at separate locations.

Football gods if you are reading this thread I have a request. This is the skins third straight playoff game against Seattle, all since I got out here. Can you maybe stop doing that for a bit?

One minor correction to Ed’s post: the Seahawks are favored so when the redskins win it’ll be an upset. That is probably what you meant, just got the teams backwards

Second that. All the way. And I hope they decimate the ‘skins, because all the media can do is fawn over RGIII. They’ve done nothing but ignore the Hawks, which is typical, but we know how the media works here, don’t we?

Seattle has been awful on the road, only beating Chicago as they were falling apart, and Buffalo in Montreal. It’s a tough pick for me, but I am taking the Seahawks because of their defense, and RGIII’s injury.

I will go with the Ravens over the Colts. The Ravens’ defense isn’t what it used to be but it is still pretty good. I think that Ray Lewis will play inspired and quite possibly inspiring football.

I live in Everett, just north of Seattle but grew up in Kalispell, Montana which used to be part of the Denver Broncos’ broadcast area. So I am pretty much a lifelong Broncos fan. Montana used to be split with the mountain region belonging to the Broncos, and West Dakota belonging to the Packers.

The Washington bumper sticker on my Volt has a potato with some feathers, to be more culturally sensitive. There have been quite a few of us asking for this logo change over the years. I think Synder is finally starting to take us seriously!

Are you sure about that? Lewis isn’t a loser, either, although I’m not a fan of his. Too much ego; too much temperamental explosions.

HiJack on January 6, 2013 at 12:23 PM

That is part of what made him great…as a player. There is not a team out there(or a realistic fan) that would not have taken Lewis baggage and all. He is one of the best defensive players of all time. Watch what his contemporaries say.

No predictions but I’m rooting for Colts and Redskins. Time to send Ray Lewis and the Ravens packing. And, well, not sorry Seahawks but I’m still honked off about the Monday night victory gifted you by the replacement bums. Besides, I like RGIII.

Are you sure about that? Lewis isn’t a loser, either, although I’m not a fan of his. Too much ego; too much temperamental explosions.

HiJack on January 6, 2013 at 12:23 PM

I can’t get past the murders that he got away with, that and the fact that he is nothing but a thug that hides behind his “religion”. I can sleep well knowing that he will be held to account come judgement day.

I can’t get past the murders that he got away with, that and the fact that he is nothing but a thug that hides behind his “religion”. I can sleep well knowing that he will be held to account come judgement day.

D-fusit on January 6, 2013 at 12:32 PM

Not to re-litigate the case, but the only credible witnesses ever produced indicated that Lewis was attempting to break up the fight. Did he make mistakes and obstruct justice? Yes, but I think he’s made up for that in the past 13 years.

If you looked further than the anti-Lewis hype, he’s been a great citizen of Baltimore, active in charity work, a professional and spiritual mentor to untold players in the NFL. He doesn’t “hide behind” his religion that’s who he is.

All of the network announcers suck and should be fired. For most games, I usually mute the TV sound. Don’t get me started on Michaels/Collinsworth or Buck/Aikman, either. And besides it being on ESPiN, I can’t watch MNF bcuz John Gruden is so lame. Maybe the national radio broadcasters are better. I always listen to the much more enjoyable local radio broadcast for my favorite team and mute the sound when they’re on TV.

As for the national radio broadcasters, they are a mixed lot as well. Kevin Harlan was doing the Packers/Vikes game last night and I thought he was mediocre.

Del Dolemonte on January 6, 2013 at 7:49 PM

Luckily I can pick up WTMJ in Milwaukee and when the Packers play listen to their broadcasters Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren who are much more enjoyable than the TV idiots. Buck and Aikman were gushing on cue over certain things like the slimestream media drooling over Obamuh.

Not to re-litigate the case, but the only credible witnesses ever produced indicated that Lewis was attempting to break up the fight. Did he make mistakes and obstruct justice? Yes, but I think he’s made up for that in the past 13 years.

If you looked further than the anti-Lewis hype, he’s been a great citizen of Baltimore, active in charity work, a professional and spiritual mentor to untold players in the NFL. He doesn’t “hide behind” his religion that’s who he is.

right of the dial on January 6, 2013 at 1:09 PM

The case has never been solved. Ray Lewis has never helped with investigators and instead of following leads that could have solved the case (with information from Lewis) valuable time was wasted in in the investigation when Lewis could have cleared it up from the beginning. So, yeah, he’s an accomplice to murder. No better than Rae Carruth.